IraqDoing very little to resolve Iraq's political standoff, Iraq's electoral commission endorsed the original election results after a partial recount, thereby confirming Iyad Allawi's narrow victory over incumbent Nuri al-Maliki. Maliki has been in talks with the third leading Shia party to form a coalition, but with a recent de-baathification agreement and the commissions findings, his claim on power and leadership would be seen as illegitimate especially from the minority Sunnis and Kurds who helped elect Allawi and are eager to see a secular and independent government (read not influenced by Washington or Tehran) emerge.